Method for the repair and conditioning of nylon fabric



H. M ADAMs METHOD FOR THE REPAIR mo commmoumc;

0F NYLON FABRIC Filed June 16, 1948 FEGJL 5T 22 INVENTOR.

Hurry MEAdums ATTORNEYS.

Patented Nov. 14, 1 956 EUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE METHOD FOR THE REPAIR AND CONDI- TIONING OF NYLON FABRIC Harry McAdams, Philadelphia, Pa. Application June 16, 1948, Serial No. 33,355

. 7 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in process for the conditioning of knitted nylon fabrics.

The primary object of this invention is the provision of an improved process for the repair of fabric manufactured of knitted synthetic-linear condensation polyamide yarn for the purpose of stitch setting the fabric in the zone of repair so the appearance of the repaired area will not readily disclose the fact that the article has been repaired. It is wellknown in the knitting art that during the knitting of fabric and such other operations as dyeing and finishing pull yarns occur, and sometimes yarns are frayed and'broken; Ordinarily this eliminates the fabric or article from consideration as a salable first, and depending upon the degree of perfection, in repair, the article or fabric can be commercially disposed of as an irregular, second, third, etc. With the improved process and apparatus of the present invention it is now possible to condition the I fabric in the repaired section, especially if made of nylon, so as to set the stitches after the repair operation under circumstances'which will greatly improve'the appearance of the area or zone of repair. Thus in the case of fabric where the question is merely that of straightening out pull threads the article can be conditioned to the extent that it is commercially salable as a first.

It is well known in the art relating to the finishing of hosiery that stockings fabricated of syn-' thetic linear condensation polyamide fibres require a setting of the crimp or stitch loop, and when so set the stitch ,will always resume the set position unless the stocking is subjected to treatment at a greater temperature than the stitch setting operation. However, it is present conventional practice after finishing of the stocking, to repair pull threads and other areas where repair is necessary. This operation consists of rearranging the crimp, loops and stitches to conform as nearly as possible to natural appearance. However, the repaired zone, even where the repair only concerns pull threads can be readily detected, even by those unskilled in the art of inspection and, of course, this decreases the value of the product.

With the improved process of the present invention it is now possibleto economically repair nylon fabric so that after the straightening operation the stitch or yarns can be set again in normal condition, so as to eliminate detection of repair in the area being treated, particularly where the repair consists in straightening out of pull threads.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description.

of this specification and wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts thruout the several views,

Figure 1 is a fragmentary view showing apparatus used in connection with the repair processing of nylon fabric.

Figure 2 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken substantially on the line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a perspective view showing how an operator stretches the fabric over the apparatus for the purpose of repair treatment.

Figure 4 isa cross sectional view taken thru a steam control valve embodied as a part of the apparatus.

In the drawing, wherein for the purpose of il- -22 lustration is shown only a preferred embodiment of the invention, the letter A may generally designate the apparatus. It may be mounted upon a suitable framework B. The latter may include a table top Ill anda supporting structure II.

The principal part of the repair apparatus A consists of supporting receptacle [5, formed of aluminum, plastic or the like. It may be referred to as cup-shaped and includes the upper conical-shaped portion 2G having a compartment 2i therein which flares upwardly with an increasing width to a mouth which terminates at the top margin or'edging 22, over which the fabric is stretched. The receptacle it includes a hollow base 25 connected by a reduced neck 26 with the upper portion 29. The lower margin of the base 25 is outwardly flanged at 2'! to permit the same to rest upon the top surface of the table ii]. A passageway 36 extends thru the connecting portion 26 and opens into the compartment 2| and thru which saturated live steam is discharged. It will be noted that the receptacle is of a length which will enable it to be conveniently held in the hand of an operator with the stocking draped over the mouth of the receptacle so that the repair zone can be rendered taut (see Figure 3).

The apparatus A further includes a vertical length of pipe 4 securely fixed at 4| in the table top" Ill and projecting thereabove, where the same is provided with a fixed nipple 42, adapted to detachably fit in the passageway 30, and thru which nipple the saturated live steam is discharged into the repair receptacle chamber 2|.

The steam pipe 48 extends at 56 beneath the table top and has a vertical section 51 connected as at 52' to the supporting structure ll of the framework B. In the section Bl a valve structure 53 is connected, having a body portion provided with a passageway 54 within which operates the valve body 55. The latter has connected therewith an operating handle 56 which at one end has associated therewith a bracket structure 51 to limit the closed and open positions of the valve. A spring 58 normally holds the valve body 55 In the accompanying drawing, forming a part 5 into the passageway closing position shown in Figure 4. The handle 56 has an end 60 which is positioned so that the operator may conveniently press a leg or foot thereagainst for the purpose of opening the valve and permitting a puff or puffs of saturated live steam to pass thru the pipe line into the repair receptacle and over the fabric which is stretched tautly across the edge 22.

Referring to the method or process of conditioning knitted nylon fabric, as before mentioned, it is known that knitted fabric constructed of synthetic linear condensation polyamide yarn requires a setting operation in order to permanently set the crimp. To that end the operator will take the nylon fabric article, designated at D in Figure 3 of the drawing, and slip it over the mouth end of the receptacle l5 stretching the area or zone to be repaired over the mouth of the compartment 2|, as shown in Figure 3. The fabric is so stretched or tightened at the damaged area over the mouth so that the stitches or loops are all brought approximately to the same normal size. The operator is then enabled to rearrange the pull yarn or the yarn to be repaired thru manipulation of stitch loops in the courses and wale lines. When the stitch and sinker loops have been rearranged to normal condition, and while the fabric is still taut, the operator then presses against the handle 56 and opening the valve to permit discharge of saturated live steam into the receptacle compartment 2| and across the tightened area of the stocking. Since the nylon stocking has already been subjected to a pre-setting operation in advance of finishing it is merely necessary to subject the zone of repair to one or more puifs of the saturated live steam for resetting the stitch loops to a natural condition. The temperature of the saturated live steam ranges between 212 F. and 240 F. The optimum temperature is preferably 224 F. and the time of subjecting the tightened zone of repair to the saturated live steam treatment may vary between a short puff or a continued steam treatment which is forced by the pressure of the steam thru the fabric over a period of time ranging from a few seconds to 1%; minutes.

While the apparatus and process of this invention are particularly well adapted for the treatment of fabric constructed of nylon yarn, it can be very well appreciated that fabric constructed of yarn other than nylon, such as silk, can be similarly treated at the zones of repair.

In order to protect the operator the entire detachable receptacle l5 may be made of insulation or the same may be insulated against the transfor of the heat therethru by means of a suitable external covering.

Various changes in the steps of the process and change, size and arrangement of parts may be made 'to the form of invention herein shown and described without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the following claims.

' I claim:

1. The process for repair of articles manufactured of synthetic linear condensation polyamide yarn the steps which consist in initially rendering the article taut at the repair zone, mechanically repairing and rearranging the yarn at the zone of the article to be repaired, and while so tightened subjecting the said article at the zone of repair to a saturated live steam treatment for setting the position of the yarn.

2. In a process for repair of articles manufactured of nylon yarn the steps which consist in stretching the yarn at the zone of repair and while in such condition rearranging the yarn into proper position, and while so stretched subjecting the article at the zone of repair to a saturated live steamtreatment for setting the yarn.

3. In a process for repair of yarn damaged areas of knitted nylon fabric the steps which consist in stretching the damaged area and while in such stretched condition rearranging the yarns into the most desirable natural position, and while in such position subjecting the article at the zone to be repaired to a blast of saturated live steam.

4. In a process for repair of yarn damaged areas of knitted nylon fabric the steps which consist in stretching the damaged area and while in such stretched condition rearranging the yarns into the most desirable natural position, and while in such position subjecting the article at the zone to be repaired to a blast of saturated live steam, at a temperature ranging between 212 F. and 240 F. for a period of time sufficient to set the stitch, crimp and loops.

5. In a process for the repair of articles manufactured of nylon yarn the steps which consist in stretching the article at the zone of repair across the open mouth of a receptacle, repairing said zone, and then subjecting the stretched zone of repair to the action of saturated live steam passing thru said receptacle.

6. In a process for repair of knitted nylon stockings the steps which consist in stretching the nylon stocking at the zone to be repaired over the open mouth of a receptacle, straightening the stitch loops at the zone to be repaired into a desired arrangement, and while in its stretched condition subjecting the zone of repair to the blast action of saturated live steam passing thru said receptacle.

7. The method of conditioning damaged fabric which consists in stretching the fabric at the damaged zone and while so stretched rearranging the yarns into a desirable relation, and while in stretched condition subjecting the zone of repair of the fabric to the action of saturated live steam for setting the yarns in a repair position.

HARRY MCADAMS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

